SAO
PAULO CITY HISTORY |
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| The city was founded on January 25, 1554, by Jesuit missionaries José de
Anchieta and Manoel da Nóbrega, who established a mission — the Colégio
de Sao Paulo de Piratininga — to convert the Tupi-Guarani indians.
Located just beyond the Serra do Mar cliffs overlooking the port city of
Santos, and close to the Tietê River, the new settlement became the
natural entrance to the vast and fertile plateau that would eventually
become the State of Sao Paulo. |
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Sao Paulo became officially a city in 1711. It experienced a boom during
coffee cycle, starting in the late 19th century — chiefly because of its
privileged position next to the port of Santos, through which most of
the country's exports were shipped.
After 1881, waves of immigrants from Italy, Japan and other countries
arrived in Sao Paulo, at first to work on the enormous coffee
plantations established in the State. In the 20th century, with the
industrial development of the country, many of them moved to the
capital; which also attracted new contingents of immigrants, including
Lebanese, Armenians, Greek, Jews, Chinese, and Koreans. |
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